Current garments offering thermal regulation control for humans are limited in their effectiveness. Many are cumbersome and do not offer mobility. For example, some cooling garments actively circulate a cooling fluid. However, such garments, which may include tubing, a pump and fluid source, tend to be complex and cumbersome as well as susceptible to failure. Also known are fabrics adapted to wick moisture or heat from the skin, thereby providing a cooling effect. These fabric-based systems, however, are only marginally efficient at heat dissipation. Other thermal regulation garments use outdated materials and incorporate complicated and difficult to use technology. Some require the assistance of another person to implement. In addition, current products lose their thermal regulating effectiveness when carrying loads such as body armor, backpacks, protective padding for sports, etc. because the garment's thermal regulation means are occluded, crushed or compacted as a result of the external load.
Concomitantly, many activities exert considerable forces against a garment, and may even necessitate protective padding. For example, participants in contact sports wear elaborate padding systems over or under their uniforms. Similarly, soldiers and other security personnel often wear body armor over or under their uniforms. Many protective pads for athletics are at least partially made of plastic for strength and lightness. Protective cushions are commonly made of foam pads. Such pads are uncomfortable when worn because of the plastic's stiffness and lack of breathability of foam and plastic. Body armor not only tends to be stiff and lack breathability, but fails to adequately minimize trauma resulting from energy transmitted from a projectile impact.
What is needed is a device that provides thermal regulation by maintaining a space between fabric layers, even when a load is applied. The device must maintain the space without unnecessarily compromising reliability, mobility, ease of use or comfort. The device should be adaptable for thermal regulation via insulation and thermal regulation via breathability. The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above.